Premier League champions Manchester United are hoping to be able to exploit a growing rift between La Liga giants FC Barcelona and midfield player Andres Iniesta at Camp Nou, with a view to possibly making a move for the Spaniard when the winter transfer window opens again for business in the new year, according to reports in the Daily Mail.

The highly rated Spain international has been with the Spanish champions for his whole career to date, with Iniesta making his debut for Barca back in the 2002-03 campaign under then head coach Frank Rijkaard.

And in the preceding 12 campaigns in Catalunya, Iniesta has gone on to establish himself as being one of the greatest ball-playing midfield players in the club’s history, with the 29-year-old having featured in a total of 474 matches in all competitions for Barcelona in that time, scoring 47 goals in the process, including 30 strikes in his 315 Liga outings.

However, against most people’s predictions, it is understood that the Spaniard is now giving serious thought to his career at the club after growing frustrated with life at Barcelona following the departure of previous manager Pep Guardiola.

And with a contract at Barca that now only runs until June 2015 and the player having refused to discuss extending his stay in Spain, United are said to be waiting in the wings ready to pounce should Iniesta decide to quit his boyhood club in January.